1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle and a vehicle return/retrieval control system in which doors are locked/unlocked and a main switch is turned on/off by means of an IC card, and, in particular, to a control system for returning and retrieving a vehicle which allows a user to leave the vehicle outside a specified return area, and which can smoothly retrieve the vacated vehicle.
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 11-127788, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, environmental issues have been highlighted, and to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion, techniques have been proposed for using shared electric vehicles in a specified region. The techniques for using the shared vehicles require ports (parking lots) for renting and returning the shared vehicles. Users who have rented the vehicles can return the vehicles to the nearest ports. Until the vehicle is returned, a charge is assessed for the vehicles, depending on utilization times, driving distances, etc.
When the return of the vehicles is restricted to the ports, users must drive to the ports even if the users wishes to leave the vehicles on urgent business. If the users may leave the vehicles, which have been rented, on urgent business, a charge will be assessed for the vacated vehicles, and the cost to the vehicle user is increased.
To prevent a person other than the vehicle user from using the vehicle, a personal identification may be employed to allow only one vehicle user to lock or unlock vehicle doors and to drive the vehicle. In this case, when the user leaves the vehicle without canceling the personal identifications, even a retrieval agent cannot retrieve the vehicles.